Early Church Heresies

Question 1

Apollinarism

Answer 1

Belief that Jesus had a human body and lower soul (the seat of the emotions) but a divine mind.

Question 2

Adoptionism

Answer 2

Belief that Jesus was born as a non-divine man, was supremely virtuous and that he was adopted later as “Son of God” at the descent of the Spirit.

Question 3

Arianism

Answer 3

Denial of the true divinity of Jesus Christ- that Jesus Christ was created by the Father and had a beginning in time.

Question 4

Collyridianism

Answer 4

Belief that the Trinity consists of the Father, Son, and Mary and that the son is a result of marital union between the other two.

Question 5

Docetism

Answer 5

Belief that Jesus’ physical body was an illusion, as was his crucifixion; that Jesus only seemed to have a physical body and was incorporeal

Question 6

Macedonianism (“Pneumatomachians” -Spirit fighters)

Answer 6

While accepting the divinity of Christ, denial of that of the Holy Spirit, as a creation of the Son, and a servant of the Father and the Son.

Question 7

Monophysitism / Eutychianism

Answer 7

Belief that Christ’s divinity dominates and overwhelms his humanity, as opposed to the Chalcedonian or Miaphysite position

Question 8

Monothelitism

Answer 8

Belief that Jesus Christ had two natures but only one will, as opposed to the teaching that Christ has two wills (human and divine) corresponding to his two natures

Question 9

Nestorianism

Answer 9

Belief that Jesus Christ was a natural union between the Flesh and the Word, thus not identical, to the divine Son of God.

Question 10

Patripassianism

Answer 10

Belief that the Father and Son are not two distinct persons, and thus God the Father suffered on the cross as Jesus.

Question 11

Psilanthropism

Answer 11

Belief that Jesus is “merely human”: either that he never became divine, or that he never existed prior to his incarnation as a man.

Question 12

Sabellianism

Answer 12

Belief that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three characterizations of one God, rather than three distinct persons in one God; a form of modalism.

Question 13

Tritheism

Answer 13

Belief that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three independent and distinct divine beings as opposed to three persons of one being and one essence

Question 14

Manichaeism

Answer 14

A major dualistic religion stating that good and evil are equally powerful, and that material things are evil.

Question 15

Paulicianism

Answer 15

A Gnostic and dualistic sect

Question 16

Priscillianism

Answer 16

A Gnostic and Manichaean sect

Question 17

Naassenes

Answer 17

A Gnostic sect from around 100 AD

Question 18

Sethian

Answer 18

Belief that the snake in the Garden of Eden (Satan) was an agent of the true God and brought knowledge of truth to man via the fall of man

Question 19

Ophites

Answer 19

Belief that the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve was a hero, and that the God who forbade Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge is the enemy.

Question 20

Valentianism

Answer 20

A Gnostic and dualistic sect